The tears that I couldn’t shed when Ascan disappeared seemed to flow out now.

After a while, I realized how time passed, waking up from my daze.

Seeing myself crying like a strange woman for a moment, I worried about how strange I must have looked, but the overwhelming emotions had considerably subsided.
Ascan also seemed to feel my sobbing gradually subsiding, and for the first time, he, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.

“Shall I make you a cup of hot tea?”

“…Sure.”

Ascan summoned an unextinguished flame and began to warm up the cold teacup.

From the last time he warmed my bed to now heating the teacup, I felt a bit sorry for using his advanced abilities for trivial things.

Handing me the reheated herbal tea, Ascan said, “Drink.”

I nodded silently and took another sip of the herbal tea.

Perhaps due to crying earlier, the emotions didn’t well up as strongly as before.

Just the herbal tea I drank after a long time was incredibly delicious. Whether in the past or now, the herbal tea he handed me felt different.

As I sipped on the herbal tea, Ascan watched me quietly and asked in a subdued voice, “May I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“How was I, the one you remember?”

I didn’t expect Ascan to ask such a question, but there was no reason not to answer.

I thought about the boy he was ten years ago.

“Kind.”

Even after Tanasia whipped and tormented me, he changed his attitude after forgiving me. Looking at his actions, his nature was undoubtedly kind.

“Innocent.”

When he got hurt because of Reiana, the image of Ascan lying on the bed, surprised when I tried to unbutton his shirt, flashed in my mind.

I couldn’t help but smile.

“Loyal.”

At first, he seemed robotic, but he would bring and take care of necessary things without me asking.

Thinking about those times, I laughed and looked at Ascan in front of me. However, his expression seemed a bit strange.

“Is that really me?”

“Yes. You, as I remember.”

“Could it be a mistaken identity with someone else?”

“No, it’s you. Forgiving generously, pure enough to avoid me when I approached, and loyal enough to bring what’s needed on your own.”

“That can’t be. Did I become someone else when I lost my memory?”

“No. If you didn’t become someone else when you lost your memory, there’s no way.”

“No way. If I were that person, I would have sought revenge while pretending to forgive, and while pretending to be loyal, I would have harbored other ulterior motives.”

Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t completely deny it. Ascan was contemplating escaping from the Brellof family.

But in the end, he chose to stay by my side.

So, I couldn’t fully acknowledge Ascan’s words. There might be some truth, but his sincerity wasn’t double-dealing.

“That wasn’t the case. The you I know… was a selfless person.”

At my words, Ascan furrowed his brows.

Thinking deeply about something, he spoke with a resigned expression.
“If you say so, let’s consider it that way. It seems like you’ve calmed down a bit, so I’ll take you to your room.”

“It’s okay. I can go alone.”

I put down the teacup and stood up from my seat. Looking at Ascan sitting right in front of me, I spoke slowly.

“…Thank you.”

Ascan’s eyes showed a puzzled emotion at my sudden words.

“For being there when I cried earlier. Considering your current state, it might have been something you couldn’t empathize with, but you didn’t push me away.”

Ascan didn’t respond, just gazing at me with an unreadable expression.

As I tried to leave the study, Ascan followed me.

“Wait. Since it’s your first time here today, you might get lost…”

However, he stopped talking as he saw me opening the door of the room right in front of me.

Looking at me with a slightly surprised expression, Ascan asked, “Is this where you’ll be staying?”

“Yeah, here. So, there’s no need to take me.”

Originally, I might have struggled in a mansion I visited for the first time. However, since his study was right next door, there was no chance of that happening.

With a smiling face, I closed the door and said, “Good night.”

After crying so much, I felt drained. Moreover, after a challenging journey, I had finally arrived at a comfortable mansion.

I quickly prepared for sleep and lay down on the soft bed.

As I silently stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, I couldn’t help but remember the puzzled look Ascan gave me a while ago.

But suddenly, one question popped into my mind.

‘A while ago, Ascan said that the story I told him didn’t sound like him.’

At that moment, I thought it could be possible. However, upon reflection, something bothered me.

In the novel “Beloved Saint,” Ascan was the final antagonist. What he desired was the destruction of everything.

To overthrow the Arwen Empire, the Kalua Empire, the Razent Empire, and annihilate all existing empires, erasing the entire world.

Knowing the original Ascan well, I had tried my best to prevent him from becoming corrupt.

But the current Ascan had lost all those memories.

‘Come to think of it, what state is he in now?’

Until now, I was just glad that Ascan was alive, without considering further.

The Ascan left alone…

Is he not corrupted?

Ascan, seeing Tanasia entering the room, returned to his study.

Although he had told the Bishop to assign any available room, he couldn’t blame anyone, but he didn’t expect to stay in such a close room.

Looking at the tea set he had used with Tanasia, Ascan, who had been silent, spoke in a subdued voice.

“How long do you plan to hide?”

At his words, a dark shadow appeared at the window of the seemingly empty study.
Following that, a man with a cold demeanor entered the study. He had ashy eyes and outstanding looks, with thick blue hair.

It was none other than Ville, who came out of the laboratory with Ascan ten years ago.

“I didn’t expect to have a guest. And such a lovely lady at that.”

“Tell me why you came all the way here.”

“Geez, are you going to be so harsh? I haven’t seen you in a long time because of my missions.”

“Exactly, who would want to eavesdrop?”

“I’ve never seen my brother humbly ask someone for help before.”

Actually, Ville’s wonder wasn’t unusual.

Ascan’s emotions weakened whenever he saw Tanasia. His attention was constantly drawn towards her, and he purposely avoided dinner gatherings.

However, he had quickly concealed his emotions when she entered the study…

I didn’t expect tears to suddenly appear.

Watching tears fall from Tanasia’s blue eyes, I felt an inexplicable discomfort, making it almost difficult to breathe.

Ascan, unknowingly, revealed himself in front of Tanasia.

I couldn’t help but wonder why she was crying so suddenly.

Was it only that? He grabbed her, suggesting to have a cup of tea instead of letting her leave.

This wasn’t the first time. Even during the journey, incidents related to Tanasia were particularly bothersome.

Since Ville wasn’t in the study from the beginning, I couldn’t see everything, but his actions were so soft that it was hard to believe it was Ascan.

Whenever he stood in front of her, an indescribable appearance would appear.

It felt like there was an inner murmur, urging to treat Tanasia well.

Seeing Ascan’s complicated expression, Ville, judging that it was no longer appropriate to tease, spoke in a more serious tone than before.

“Rather than telling the Emperor that you want to rest, how do you think you’ll come out of there?”

“…He’ll try to keep me somehow.”

Helson was a man with many desires. He would never be satisfied with just being the Emperor of the Kalua Empire.

If the empire stabilized, he would want to expand the territory, and he wouldn’t easily let go of Ascan, who would be the greatest strength at that time.

Everything was as Ascan had anticipated.

Except for one thing, Tanasia.